Hammer for autoharps



UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHRISTIAN HENRY EISENBRANDT, OF BALTIMORE, MARYLAND.

HAMMER FOR AUTOHARPS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 490,407, dated January 24, 1893.

Application filed May 6, 1892. Serial No. 432,095. (No model.)

To aZZ whom ir) may concern:

Be itknown that I, CHRIsTIAN HENRY EIsEN- BRANDT, a citizen of the United States, residing at Baltimore, in the State of Maryland, have invented certain new and useful Improveinentsin Hammers for Autoharps, &c.; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to means for striking chords on such stringed instruments as the autoharp, zither, duloimer andthe like, and its object is to provide a striker or `hammer which will strike all the notes of the chord simultaneonsly, so as to produce a more pleasing and artistic effect than when the strings producing the chord are struck consecutively or arpeggio by running the fingers or a pick'7 over them in the usual manner.

Another object of my invention is to provide means whereby the melody note of each chord will be struck, so as to be loud and brilliant while the remaining notes will be subdued or softened. o

For these purposes my invention consists in a hammer whose essential characteristics will now be described, particular reference being had to the accompanying drawings in which- Figure 1 represents, in perspective, an autoharp about to be struck by a hammer embodying my invention. Fig. 2 a longitudinal Vertical section of the hammer, and Fig. 3 a perspective view thereof.

It Will be noted that this hammer consists in a strip A, of flexible material, preferably spring-metal, having a handle, a, and a double bend at a', ct', so as to make the forward or hammer portion, a, substantially parallel to the handle. The hainmer portion, a, is

sheathed in a rubber, felt or leather sleeve, B, and its forward end or beak, O, preferably extends or protrudes beyond the rnbbersleeVe,B. The beak, O, is preferably formed, as shown, that is to say, provided with a downward convexity or bulge, at c.

lt will be obvious from the foregoing, that when the proper damper, E, of the autoharp, D, is depressed by one hand and the strings are struck by the hammer, A, in the other hand of the operator, all the notes or strings producing the chord desired will be simultaneously sounded, and under the preferable construction of my hammer-in such a way that the melody note or string, withwhich the metallic beak, O, comes into contact, will sound brilliantly while the other strings, which are struck by the mufled portion, B, of the hammer will be subdued or softened.

It is manifest that while l have shown my hammer as used in connection with an autoharp, the same may also be used with other stringed instruments such as zithers, and the like.

VVhile l consider the form of hammer herein shown and described, the best embodiment of niy invention, it is evident that the same may be modifiedin many particulars without departing from my invention.

VV hat I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent, therefore, is-- 1. A hammer for stringed instruments consisting of a fiexible strip, in combination with a rubber, felt or leather sieeve sheathing,` the same, substantially as set forth.

2. A hammer for stringed instruments consisting` of a strip of metal, sheathed in a rubber, felt or leather sleeve and having a beak proj ecting beyond the rubber-sleeve, substantially as set forth.

3. A hammer for stringed instruments consisting of a strip of metal, sheathed in rubber, felt or leather and havinga beak provided with a bulge or bend, as at c, the said beak extending beyond the rubber sheatl1,substantially as set forth. p

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

CIlRISTlAhT HENRY EISENBRANDT.

Witnesses:

HENRY F. Cook, LOUIS O. DEETJEN, 

